Food Adventuring Around NYC
THE PLACE: Mostly hidden from street view, Blue Blossom is a sleek new fancy Chinese restaurant steps away from Bryant Park. This restaurant comes from the owners of Che Li and Szechuan Mountain House, two excellent refined Chinese spots in the East Village. This is their first venture into the heart of Midtown. A long …
I had the great fortune of visiting the Czech Republic (officially now known as Czechia) when making a series of promotional videos for the tour company I worked with. Since the company was international, we had amazing partners all over the world and I connected with many of the ones in Europe. One of those …
There are endless number of hidden gems and secrets in New York. Case in point: it took me 20 years of exploring Chinatown, a pandemic, and an abandoned shopping mall to discover this secret subterranean dumpling shop with a very long name. Fu Zhou Wei Zhong Wei Jia Xiang Feng Wei(or booth B45) has been …
I am a sucker for sampler plates. I used to love Pu Pu Platters as a kid. And if a brewery doesn’t have a flight option, I’m at a loss for what to do. So it was a no brainer for me to order the colorful Lucky Six Soup Dumplings at Shanghai You Garden, a …
It takes a lot for me to write about two dishes from the same restaurant two weeks in a row. It hasn’t happened since 2022 when I gushed over Gage & Tollner. And now Tatiana absolutely deserves at least two of their dishes being highlighted on these pages. In truth, I could probably keep going …
Zhu Ji Dumpling Stall has been hiding in Flushing for a long time, yet somehow I missed it until now. This is literally a stall just off Main Street where those in the know stop for some cheap and juicy dumplings. The set-up reminds me a bit of Fried Dumpling down an alley in Chinatown, …
I’m counting down the 10 best dishes I tasted in 2023… My eating out was definitely different this year. I let go of the need to visit all the latest “hot spots” and found much more comfort and enjoyment in old standbys and casual neighborhood spots. The pricing at new middle-tier restaurants also reached peak …
When I awarded Lin & Daughters a perfect 10 our of 10 last year, I did not think I would get better (or as good) dumplings for a long time. But that is because I had not yet been to Samniwago. It was not for lack of trying. I visited the Mott Street Eatery (one of the …
I’m counting down the 10 best dishes I tasted in 2023… Eating out was definitely different this year for me. I let go of the need to visit all the latest “hot spots” (still have not been to Bad Roman or Tatiana) and found much more comfort and enjoyment in old standbys and casual neighborhood …
A few weeks ago, I got together with two old friends from the New York food blogging world. We all wrote and documented food stories for the long gone but not forgotten Midtown Lunch. This was before Tik Tok and Instagram – in simpler times when you could find a meal for $10 or less. …
When I was focused on my best dumplings in New York search, I was mostly concentrating in the multiple Chinatowns in New York City. Of course, there were a few spots scattered around the city that I examined, but the hub of it was around Canal Street, Flushing, Sunset Park, or Elmhurst (yes, I know …
Sam has been asking about this country from the day we started this project. Obviously, China finds its way into popular culture much more than a place like Bhutan. I think he learned about China from his Thomas the Tank Engine Stories. And to this day, it is still the country he seems to want to …
My search for the best dumplings in New York continues…. SADLY, DUMPLING LAB IS NOW CLOSED. This is a sad one and I almost wonder if I should even bother posting this. I had Dumpling Lab on my radar for months and finally a few weeks ago, I was able to stop by for lunch and …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City Chor Moung is a traditional Thai dumpling from central Thailand that somehow manages to naturally check all the boxes for the modern Instagram-set. It’s colorful, in a pretty shape, and also happens to be worth recommending. Especially …
My search for the best dumplings in New York continues…. I was not prepared for how pleasurable these cheap Chinese dumplings at King Dumplings were going to be. I should have known. I’ve had this style of jiaozi in Chinatown many, many times before, but I hadn’t realized just how long it had been and just how …
Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City There was a time not that long ago when Greenpoint, Brooklyn was a Polish neighborhood. I like to think that’s still alive but the truth is many of the Polish residents have sold or rented to millennials …
My search for the best dumplings in New York continues…. SADLY, HK FOOD COURT IS NOW CLOSED. Today food halls are all the rage. It seems like a new one opens every week. And generally, in Manhattan, they consist of a rotating list of local vendors. Some are exciting but generally the options get pretty …
My search for the best dumplings in New York continues…. Let’s face it: dumplings are pretty cheap. You don’t generally expect the best quality ingredients when you are paying a few cents for fried pockets of meat. I love the ones served deep in Chinatown for just over a dollar a plate, but I never thought …
My search for the best dumplings in New York continues…. SADLY, YASO TANGBAO IS NOW CLOSED. Forget the cronut or the giant Black Tap milk shakes – the dumplings at Yaso Tangbao have been the hardest single dish for me to try. And it wasn’t because of the huge lines or that the restaurant only made …
I’m counting down the 100 best dishes I tasted in 2018… 28 Day dry aged beef inside a potsticker?? Who ever heard of such a thing at a small casual take out spot like East Wind Snack Shop? The preparation truly makes a difference in terms of flavor. The meat has a strong rich beefy flavor that lingers – …